Eduardo weighted to win

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Joe Pride believes Eduardo is weighted to win the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and become possibly the shortest priced favourite to claim the Group 1 feature on Saturday.

Eduardo will jump from barrier six for the $1 million sprint over 1200 metres, and in early markets is a $2.30 favourite with the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Wild Ruler a $4.60 second favourite.

Champion sprinter Manikato holds the record as the shortest priced winner at 5/4 or $2.25 when successful in 1979.

Broad Reach, Baguette and Auction were 6/4 favourites ($2.50) when successful in 1987, 1972 and 1942 respectively, while dual Doomben 10,000 winner Apache Cat was a $2.60 favourite when he won for the first time in 2008.

Pride believes Eduardo’s price is great value and is confident the seven-year-old will give him his second Doomben 10,000 and his 13th Group 1 overall.

Pride landed his maiden Group 1 winner with Red Oog in the 2005 Doomben 10,000 and famously had his name tattooed to commemorate the victory.

“Eduardo is going super and I’m very happy with him,” Pride said.

“I think his odds are very good value and he should be odds-on.

“If you line up his form with the rest of the field, he looks a weighted certainty.

“He’s had three runs back from a break but his last run in my eyes was a little disappointing when he ran third in the TJ Smith.

“But I now think that’s because he was a little below his best after breaking the track record when he won the Challenge Stakes.”

Eduardo has started five times in Group 1 races, winning The Galaxy over 1100 metres at Rosehill in March but has never won at the highest level over 1200 metres in two previous attempts.

He fell short behind Sunlight in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap in 2019 and was third to Nature Strip last start in the Group 1 TJ Smith at Randwick last month.

In all, Eduardo has tried five times over 1200 metres, but his only success was in the Group 2 Missile Stakes on a heavy 9 at Rosehill in August last year.

Pride is bemused by critics of Eduardo’s 1200 metre record.

“I don’t understand what all the fuss is about with him over 1200 metres,” he said.

“I think he’s better suited over 1200 metres and it didn’t bother me what alley he got yesterday as I expect him to lead although he doesn’t have to.

“If they try to take him on, they’ll bring about their own undoing.”

A wet track would further boost Eduardo’s chances, with his record of two wins from three starts on heavy tracks and three from four on soft going.

Pride has named 2019 Stradbroke winner Trekking - who is attempting to give Kerrin McEvoy his third Doomben 10,000 winner - as his main danger.

“Trekking is the danger if he brings his A grade form to the race,” he said.

From barrier 10, Trekking returned in good order when fifth in his first run for five months in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm last month.